1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dual screen control apparatus for a word processor, and more particularly to a dual screen control apparatus which makes it easier to discriminate a current screen from a dual screen.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, English language word processors, for example, have been provided with displays having a plurality of display lines and a number of functions for facilitating a process for inputting document data and a process for editing the same. In particular, a word processor having a dual screen display function for displaying document data on an upper-region display screen (hereinafter called "a first display screen") and a lower-region display screen (hereinafter called "a second display screen"), both obtained by dividing a display into two screens, on upper and lower screen, has been put into practical use.
Heretofore, document data, which is being input, for example, has been displayed on the first display screen and the already-input document data has been displayed on the second display screen, by making use of the dual screen display function mentioned above. In addition, document data can be input through the first display screen as the current screen on which a cursor is displayed, while enabling reference to the document data on the second display screen, or a part of the document data on the second display screen can be copied by a copying function at a desired position where it is to be inserted in the document data displayed on the first display screen, by changing the current screen and display portions of either the first display screen or the second display screen as needed. For this purpose, a keyboard is provided with a current screen changeover key, and the current screen changeover key is operated so that the current screen can be arbitrarily changed from the first display screen to the second display screen, or vice versa.
In addition, an information display line, i.e., status line, is always provided on the top line, for example, of the display. Displayed on this information display line are character decoration information such as an underline and boldface, setting information about control modes relevant to the printing form such as the justification, enlarged characters, etc., and document names and positional information of a cursor displayed on the current screen.
In this instance, it is difficult to determine whether the current screen is the first display screen or the second display screen, by the contents of information displayed on the information display line. Therefore, a distinction is made based on the display of the cursor as to whether the current screen is the first display screen or the second display screen.
As described above, in the word processor of the type wherein the dual screen display function is provided and the two documents are simultaneously displayed on the display, the cursor is normally shaped like a small rectangle and often unclear visually. In addition, the information display line is always positioned in a fixed position. As a result, in this type of word processor, the problem occurs that no decision can be easily made as to whether the current screen with the cursor displayed thereon is the first display screen or the second display screen.
Therefore, a cursor movement key is commonly operated to move the cursor, thereby making it possible to find the cursor easily. However, in this type of word processor, a problem further occurs in that the position for inputting data is changed by the movement of the cursor. The cursor must then be shifted again to the original data input position by the cursor movement key, so that the operation for making a decision as to whether the current screen is the first display screen or the second display screen is cumbersome.